Chapter 50: Ready, Set, Find the Satellite!
Atlas/Eastern Parts/3:25 am
It is a cold and absolutely freezing night with a blizzard rolling in and winds now blowing up to 55 mph. Enough to blow someone away. From the south, Ghost-Team is slowly approaching the crash site where the satellite is to acquire the ACS module from one of many Quantum Computer Satellites. However, their task may prove difficult. Not because of the blizzard, but there are other two factions trying to reach towards it and take advantage of its technology. Approaching from the northwest is the Checkmate Squad. A special forces unit put together by General Ironwood himself. From the northeast, the Snow Vipers, are fast approach and they got numbers on their side. The Snow Vipers are also known to be an organization of insomniacs, which makes sense considering their boss is awake at this hour to receive Junior's call. They have been hired by Junior back at Vale to help him and his associates to get the law off their backs.
In the south, Ghost-Team is trying to maintain their corporeal form because of the wind blowing against them. Not only that, they can't switch to smoke form or they be drifted away along the wind. Ghost-3 then started to complain. "Unko, kono tenki wa samuidesu!"
Translate: "Shit, this weather is cold!"
Ghost-2 then yelled at Ghost-3 while the unit is marching and the wind howling louder and louder for each step, "Appu seikō o shatto baka! Kore wa Kalidia V-jō no yuki no arashi ni kurabete nani mo arimasen!"
Translate: "Shut the fuck up you idiot! This is nothing compared to the snow storms on Kalidia V!"
Ghost-1: "Sate sate, anata ni, sore wa jūbundesu."
Translate: "Alright you two, that's enough."
Marching through the snow, they then start to receive a call and it is a gentleman's voice. "Ghost-Team, this is Mission Control. Do you copy?" "This is Ghost-Team, we copy." "According to the read-out trajectory and map of the area, the satellite may have crash landed somewhere in a chasm just a few clicks from your position. But there is something else you should know. We have detected a few bogies converging on the crash site." "Grimm?" "That's a negative." "Understood." Ghost-1 then looked at his unit, "Hikii, eisei ichi ga shingai sa rete imasu!"
Translation: "Heads up, the satellite location has been compromised!"
Then the unit started to ran with some of their body parts starting to fade. But they keep on moving forward despite the disadvantage.
In the northwest, the Checkmate Squad is on approach and marching through the snow and a few snowflakes starting to fall. While marching, Rook started to complain by yelling with the wind howling, "How much further?!" "Just a few more clicks!" Bishop responded. The unit just keep on marching and marching against the wind. They continue to march until they see smoke on the horizon under what available light they have left, blowing with the wind. King pointed out, "There! We located the target!" The unit then try to run towards until they come across the chasm. It is now becoming hard to see because the blizzard has finally come. But things are about to get worse. They then hear what sounds like motor-vehicles coming from their right and they started to aim their weapons at the direction. They stood still but unable to see because of the blizzard and the darkness of night, yet they can hear. The sound of motor-vehicles stopped. Then they hear voices through the storm.
Male-1: "So any ideas on what the hell is so important about the satellite?"
Male-2: "The blackbox of these things contain a wealth of information."
Male-1: "So?"
Male-2: "Think about it. Blackmail, access to all banking accounts, have access to practically everything. We can have the whole world in our pocket!"
Male-1: "Now you got me interested!"
Male-3: "Ditto!"
Male-4: "Let's do this!"
The Ghost-Team then appeared on the other side of the chasm. The chasm is 25 feet across and 59 feet down. Possibly deeper because of the satellite crash. But they are so close to the satellite that they can almost taste it. However, they can barely see some lights on the other side of the chasm. "Watashi ni netsu sukōpu o te." Ghost-1 ordered.
Translation: "Hand me a thermal scope."
Ghost-2 handed him the scope so his leader can see what is happening on the other side. What he sees is a bunch of humanoid figures with snowmobiles on the other side of the chasm. Yet he turns to the left and noticed a few more humanoid figures with their weapons pointed at the 40 men and their means of transport. Ghost-1 realized who they were and came up with a plan while lowering his scope. "Watashitachiha-shō no tame no ikutsu ka no kyōsō o motte iru yō ni miemasu. Wareware wa sore ni tsuite nanika o okonau koto ga dekiru ka dō ka mite mimashou."
Translation: "Looks like we have some competition for the prize. Let's see if we can do something about that."
Ghost-04 had a sniper rifle with a suppressor at the end of the barrel. He fired the shot right between the two groups, but it wasn't a bullet per-say. The round landed between the groups, stand straight up, and started to shoot a tiny jet stream of red sparks to reveal them, much to their surprise.
King: "What the hell?!"
Male-1: "Oh shit!"
Rook: "Fuck!"
Pawn: "We've been compromised!"
Male-2: "Shit, open fire!"
The sound of gunfire then echoed throughout the area while Ghost-Team jumps down into the chasm and turn into smoke. The Checkmate Squad went prone and fire their rounds with the Snow Vipers taken cover behind their snowmobiles. Not too far from the battle, more Snow Vipers heard from a radio, "We got some Atlesian special forces here! We need back up!" "On our way boys." said one of the raiders. Back at the battlefield, King and his squad managed to take down a few scoundrels. Yet more have arrived and made things worse. King yelled at his squad, "Into the chasm! Quickly!" The squad rushed towards the cliff and rappel their way down while the Snow Vipers keep shooting blindly in the storm. Not only that, it is hard for Checkmate Squad to stay on the cliff with the wind blowing as hard as it is.
Meanwhile, At Merlot Mountain Glenn Branch
Underground, Dunkle is preparing everything and anything to ensure the arrival of one of the Empress' children. While walking down the steel walls and florescent lighting, he is accompanied by several people.
Dunkle: "How are things going?"
Business Man: "So far we have all of Vacuo under our control."
Dunkle: *yells* "I mean the preparations!"
Business Man: "Oh. Everything is going smoothly. We have the starport ready for her arrival."
Female Templar: "Many of the Templars and the Dragon are prepared for tomorrow and it will be a worthy reception for the Holy Matriarch."
Female Scientist: "Despite the loss of one of the satellites, everything is going smoothly."
Male General: "I have all available troops patrolling the starport. We will have no surprises at the reception. And the terrorists are still at their hideout."
Dunkle: "And what of Roman and his scoundrels?"
Male General: "We intercepted a call that lead all the way to Atlas. They have the Snow Vipers doing their dirty work."
Dunkle: "Truly, Mr. Torchwick is more trouble than he is worth. Get rid of him and his colleagues."
Ruin Hideout
A bunch of Bullhead VTOL showed up at the ruin hideout with a lot of Neo-White Fang soldiers armed and ready. But the moment they set foot, the hideout was empty of...everything. All the tents, equipment, supplies, everything is gone. Not only that, Roman Torchwick and everyone else is gone. Where did they go?
